Ahmedabad, Saturday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi during his high-level crucial meeting with his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna at Dehradun late this evening offered to provide all possible assistance to restore normalcy and rebuild the infrastructure with the former’s men, money and machinery.
Mr. Modi who met Mr. Bahuguna along with other leaders and senior officers of both the states made a humble request to take full responsibility of resurrecting the flood-ravaged Kedarnath, one of the ‘Char Dhams’ (Four Abodes of God), into a modern temple complex.
He said that Kedarnath is in the hearts of crores of Indians as a centre of spiritual faith. While the main temple could be rebuilt by the local Trust and State Government, he said, Gujarat would develop the temple premises.
Mr. Modi, who is the first Chief Minister to visit and make an aerial survey of unprecedented flood-affected Uttarakhand, said that Gujarat has the experience and expertise in tackling natural calamities of big scales and would be too willing to help Uttarakhand in this hour of tragedy with ‘Tan’ ‘Man’ ‘Dhan’.
He said that Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) has been developed into a model fighting fit corps for any eventuality. Gujarat would send a team of experts to study the problem and custom-made proposal to help Uttarakhand restore the flood-hit valley.
He also expressed his condolences to countless people on their bereavement. He offered Gujarat’s expertise in identifying the bodies which have decomposed beyond recognition with DNA tests, video photography of their belongings and peripheral surroundings. He also suggested preventive steps to check likely spread of epidemics, normal after such huge calamities.
Mr. Bahuguna thanked Mr. Modi for his gestures and compassion in the hour of Uttarkhand’s crisis.
Mr. Modi earlier took round of Gujarat Government’s Relief Camp at Hardwar-based Gayatri Parivar’s Labh Kunj, gave solaced to pilgrims from the state and offered to provide all possible assistance to ensure return of the stranded families in luxury coaches.
Despite being in distress, the affected families collectively donated Rs.75,000 to the Chief Minister which he handed over to the Gayatri Parivar Chief.
Those present during the meeting included former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Major B.C. Khanduri, party’s national general secretary Ramlalji, Gujarat’s Additional Principal Secretary A.K. Sharma, Relief Commissioner Pooamchand Parmar and Uttarakhand’s Chief Secretary.
